


strawberries and cigarettes

by murderhouse



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), Bisexual Richie Tozier, Character Death, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-18 21:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13690596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murderhouse/pseuds/murderhouse
Summary: Eddie Kaspbrak always struggled with his sexuality. Due to his mother expressing how much she hates the "lifestyle" homosexuals live and bullies at school teasing him for his clothes and mannerisms, he's never wanted to accept the fact that he really is gay. He wants to find someone who will accept it with him.Richie Tozier has never really had anyone. He's always longed for someone to spend long nights with, to talk to about pointless things, to laugh with. He wants to find himself, to find what he craves, what he's been missing. To find who he's capable of loving.Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak find each other. They don't exactly know what that means, but it's all they could ever wish for.





	1. number one

**Author's Note:**

> i originally was going to make this a short but sweet valentine's day fic, but i've decided to mold my two fic ideas together. sooo this is going to end up being a full fic !!
> 
> btw they're aged up to like 17 & this takes place in the 90s
> 
> enjoy!! ~sami

It's February 12th, 1994, and neither Eddie or Richie have a valentine. They're gathered at lunch, the rest of their friends gushing over how fun Valentine's Day is gonna be.

It's no surprise to them that Ben and Bev are each other's valentines, as well as Stan and Mike, seeing as the two couples are basically joined at the hip. It's also no surprise that Bill had scored a date with some handsome artsy nerd (he has a type) that Richie had only talked to twice, both times in which he had to cheat off of his homework.

Richie and Eddie both know what's lingering in the air, all of the losers do, in fact. There's a sort of tension that all of them, but Mike, are trying to ignore.

Mike is always upfront with Eddie since they're so close. Eddie would never know this, but it sometimes makes Richie jealous.

Rich and Eddie are sitting in their usual spots next to each other. Mike and Stan are sat in front of them both, Ben and Bev next to them, and Bill sat on Richie's right.

The group is talking about their plans, as they always do. Today is particularly shitty for Eddie, though, and he knows the next three days are gonna be worse. On top of the chatter of lovey dovey shit, Mike keeps looking at Eds with a sly look, and it's making him feel uneasy, nervous.

"Ed, what are your plans for Wednesday?" Bev asks with a beaming smile on her face. Eddie snaps out of his thoughts and meets Bev's bright eyes.

"Oh, uh, nothing. Probably just gonna be studying." He replies, making Bev's smile fade.

"You don't have a date? Someone's missing out, for sure." Ben chimes in. Soon, all of the attention is on Eddie and his cheeks really can't feel any hotter.

"Uhh.. no, I don't," he laughs. "I don't really care for Valentine's Day, it's the same every year."

Eddie can feel Richie's eyes on him, but his stare is focused on his lunch, he feels  _so_ tense. As he looks up, he meets Mike's eyes, a glimmer of _something_ flickering in them. He smirks lightly, and Eddie knows right off the bat what that look means.

Anytime Mike notices Richie accidentally touch Eddie's hand, or sees the two meet eyes, he gives Eddie that look. He doesn't even have to ask what it meant, because he's already told the boy about his growing feelings for Richie.

And _that_ is why Eddie's face has a blush forming on it, and also why he wipes his sweaty hands on his jeans moments later.

As he puts his hands at his sides, he touches Richie's hand. But instead of pulling away and apologizing like he usually does, Eddie left it. He was "testing the waters" a bit, as Mike had advised him to do when they were studying the night before.

Richie looks at Eddie and smiles, it's a weird, almost _fond_ , smile. He's not sure exactly what it means, he’s never seen the look worn on his face before. Accompanied by his smile is the subtle movement of his fingers underneath Eddie's.

_It’s almost like he knows what I’m doing_

_Don’t make it obvious dipshit_

Mike sees the encounter unfold, he watches them interact like he's watching two zoo animals. He doesn't react just yet, because he knows that if he does anything but watch silently, he'll get a scolding from Eddie later on.

"R-Rich, what about y-you?" Bill asks curiously. Richie lifts his hand to rest his chin on it.

_God dammit_

"Nothin, probably just gonna go to the arcade or somethin'." He says in a flat tone.

_Why is he acting so weird today?_

_Is it the same reason I'm acting weird?_

"You good, Richie? You don't seem too hot." Stan questions, but in a softer tone than he usually speaks in.

"Just tired, the usual. No biggie, Stan the Man." He speaks with a tired smile, obviously trying to lift his morale.

"Well then maybe you should sleep more, ever thought of that?" Eddie chimes in, a smirk playing on his lips. Richie turns to him and raises his eyebrows. At that, Eddie loses all of the confidence that he built up.

"Where'd the sass come from, Eds?" He laughs, "I'll sleep more if it makes you happy, princess." He ruffles Eddie's hair, leaving him a blushing mess.

"Oh my god," He mutters under his breath. "You're an ass."

"That I am, Edward. That I am." he slouches back in his chair with a sigh, spreading his legs out, leaving less room for Eddie. He can't help but tense up at the movement, if he didn't then he would melt like puddy. As he looks down to hide his blush, he notices that Richie doesn't have food in front of him, just like it's been for the past week.

_I hope he's eating at home_

_Should I share my lunch?_

_Fuck my hands are so sweaty_

He always worries about Richie, more than he should, but he has his reasons. His home life is as equally, if not more, shitty as his, Eddie had asssumed.

He doesn't open up much about his issues, that Richie. He just suppresses them as he inhales puff after puff of cigarette smoke. A few times, late at night, he snuck out and climbed into Eddie’s window, wearing glossy eyes, a fake smile, and pyjamas. He knows that Richie is hurting, and Richie knows that Eddie could tell, but they just never say anything.

Eddie has thought over those nights for _hours_ , trying to decipher every moment that Richie laid eyes on him, or touched his hand, or smiled at him.

They need each other, and they both know it.

_But does he need me the same way I need him?_

Eddie's thoughts are running wilder than ever. Maybe it's because of the look Richie is giving him, the gaze he can see Mike holding, and the tension in the air between him and the boy he likes, all coming together to peck away at him.

Eddie sits up in surprise when he hears the ringing of the lunch bell coming from inside the school. He gathers his garbage, all of his friends running inside to get to their classes as soon as they could. The majority of them have their next class on the other side of the building, so they're always in a rush to pack up. Except for Richie, that is.

As Eddie is throwing his trash out, he hears Richie clear his throat and him shifting to his feet. Eddie turns around with a quirked eyebrow, wondering why Rich is lingering.

”Hey, Eds, are you gonna be busy tomorrow after school?” the boy asks, his hands shoved in his pockets. It's a colder day, but the sun is shining beautifully on Richie’s face, making him glow. Eddie can see the boy's freckles come into sight as he steps closer to him.

_Why the hell is he walking towards me all weird?_

_God, he looks so gorgeous_

_His eyes are so pretty in this light_

”No, I don’t think so, why?” Eddie answers, trying to act like he has confidence in his weak words.

”I was wondering, could you come over?” he says gently, his words causing Eddie’s brow to furrow. ”You can study or whatever, I just need some company.”

The confused look on Eddie’s face drops and is replaced with a small smile. ”Uh, of course, I’ll just tell my mom I’m at the library with Mike.”

”Alright, I’ll wait for you at the end of the day, sound good?” he asks, pointing finger guns at Eddie.

He reaches out and shoves his hands down. ”Yes,” he mutters through his giggling. ”Now get to class, nerd.”

”See ya later, Eds! Don’t miss me too much!” Richie yells. Eddie blushes lightly and flips him off.

_Holy shit_

_I’m going to Richie Tozier’s house tomorrow_

_Alone_

He collects his scattered thoughts as well as he can and walks to class, the image of Richie Tozier’s deep brown eyes and freckles, on display in the sunlight, imprinted into his brain.

The thought,

_Why does he need company?_

nagging in the back of it as well.


	2. number two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is longer, i hope you like it :)

It's February 13th, and Eddie Kaspbrak is not enjoying the anxiety nagging at his brain and the tightness in his chest that he's been enduring the entire day. His anxiety is fueled by his mother's overbearing self and the even more overbearing feelings he has for Richie Tozier, as usual. But today, it's increased about 5 times.

Eddie thinks on and on about how he's supposed to act at Richie's house. They've only ever hung out maybe 4 times alone before and not under good circumstances. They never talked about those nights.

Eddie wants to know what is hurting Richie, since it's on his mind more often than not. But he knows that if he mentions anything to him, Richie will get all tense and brush it off with a joke or something. Classic Richie Tozier nature.

He isn't easy to read, that's for damn sure.

Throughout his classes, Eddie can't stop bouncing his leg and playing with the straps of his overalls, annoying his classmates every time he does so. He can't help it though.

Just like he can't help but think about Richie.

At lunchtime, Eddie tries his best to not fidget with anything or move his legs much. He knows everyone will notice, which will definitely cause Eddie to become a flustered mess, but that's not nothing used to. He silently eats his lunch, trying to laugh with his friends and make small talk, just like any other day.

Richie seems happier today, Eddie notices, he seems like he got more sleep than usual. That makes Eddie feel weirdly content.

His heart warms at the thought of Richie taking his advice, listening to what he had to say. 'I'll sleep more if it makes you happy, princess.'

As Eddie thinks about the words, a small smile forms on his lips. Bill must notice him smiling at nothing apparent, because he speaks up seconds later.

"E-Eddie, what'd y-you do last ni-night?" Bill stutters more when the attention is on him, when he has to speak loudly over others, and when he's chiming in in the middle of conversation. Eddie thinks it's kinda cute.

"I just studied a bit, like always. You?" Bill's eyes gleam with amusement as he smiles lightly.

"I j-just said what I w-was up to, were you listening?" He chuckles lightheartedly.

"Oh uhh, I'm sorry.. my heads a little foggy today, Bill," Eddie trails off, a sympathetic look playing on his face.

"N-no worries! You alright? Y-You've seemed a b-bit off lately." He speaks over the banter of the rest of the table.

"Yeah, I'm alright Bill. Physics just has me a bit stressed, like always." Eddie reassures him (with a lie) as Bill squeezes his bicep. They exchange small smiles and go back to eating and chatting with the rest of the table.

"My p-parents aren't gonna be h-home Friday and Saturday, you guys wanna sl-sleep over?" Bill asks his friends in an excited tone, shooting Stan a fond smile.

_Why is Bill looking at him like that?_

The whole table pauses for a moment, probably thinking over their schedules, but Eddie knows damn well they'll all show up anyways. Well, except for Richie. You could never be sure with him. He could never really hold to his plans, but his face lit up a bit when Bill spoke those words, so Eddie has hope.

They all nod in response moments later, answering with "Sure" and "I can go". Eddie just nods along, which the rest take as a confirmation that he can go as well.

"I'm down. I can get the drinks? The rest of you can figure the food out." Bev speaks up, confidence ringing in her voice.

"As always," Stan says harshly, then laughs when he gets a cold look from Bev. "I'm joking. Ben can take care of the snacks like usual?"

"Sounds fine to me." Ben says contently.

"Stan, Mike, and I c-can set up the l-living room? Get th-the movies ready and everything." Bill suggests. He gives Mike the same look he gave Stan before.

_Is he trying to hit on them?_

"Eddie and Richie can get the movies. We've already watched all of the good ones we have." Bev points her finger at the two, prompting them to finally speak up.

"Sound good Eds?" Richie pokes Eddie's thigh under the table, giving him a small smile. Eddie can feel his ears heat up because of the touch.

"Yeah, sure, that's alright. Who's gonna cover for me? You know how my mom is." Eddie replies, trying his best to ignore Richie's presence.

"I got your back Eds, just tell her you're at my house. Your mom _loves_ me." Mike reassures him, as if he can sense all of the nervous energy radiating off of him. Mike glances at Richie. He can tell he's distracted, because he just missed the perfect opportunity to joke about Eddie's mom. Mike thinks it's a bit odd, but the rest of the table, besides Eddie and Mike, don't even notice.

The finger Richie poked into his leg lingers, before his shaky hand drops beside Eddie's. The boy ignores it because he doesn't need to be even more anxious then he already is, but Richie surely wasn't helping the fact of that.

_Just calm down Eddie_

_You won't mess anything up_

_Just act cool, act normal_

The table keeps chattering, talking about random stuff as usual. Richie and Eddie stay silent, but Rich's hand doesn't move from the spot he placed it in. To Eddie, it seems like he's testing him. He can feel the tension in between them, can sense how anxious Richie is too. It's messing with their heads, and they both know it is, but they don't stop.

Eddie inches his hand closer to Richie's, his pinky pressing up against his slightly, but just enough to make Richie twitch. He looks down subtly at their hands, before tearing his gaze away and looking back at his friends.

Moments later, Eddie looks over at Richie when he suddenly stands up from the bench. His hands reach for his bag as he lets out a small sigh. He stands up and glances down at Eddie for a brief second, a foreign look on his face.

_What was that?_

"I'll be right back." he says casually, striding away from the table. Eddie watches him as his figure disappears behind a big oak tree. The tree is still close enough for Eddie to see the smoke puffing out from behind it.

He thinks about the look Richie gave him, it was almost suggestive. Kind of like he wanted Eddie to join him.

_Fuck it_

Eddie stands up from the table timidly, his friends all pulling confused looks onto their faces. He just smiles at them as he walks around the table and towards the oak tree.

He approaches the tree slowly, thoughts going through his brain, wondering "Should I just turn around?". He ignores them as he confidently walks up beside Richie. Eddie feels small, even though he's the one who's towering over him. His nerves kick in once again.

Rich is taken aback when he sees Eddie in his peripheral vision. He quickly snatches the cigarette out of his mouth, hiding it beside his thigh and out of Eddie's sight. He looks up and sighs in relief.

"Oh hey Eds, I thought you were a teacher," he speaks as he flicks the ash of the cigarette casually. "Scared me a bit."

"Hey Rich," Eddie speaks shyly. "I'm so-"

"Come and sit, I don't bite." he interrupts through a smug smile, his words almost sounding rushed. He pats at the tree stump next to him. "Ah, sorry. I can put this out if you want me to? I know you hate when people smoke around you, I wouldn't wanna-"

"It's fine, Rich." Eddie chuckles. Richie just nods and continues to smoke.

Eddie glances over at the boy, he soaks in his beauty while he's caught off guard. His hair looks like it's had his hands running through it. His freckles dot across his cheeks beautifully, the light that's gently shining through the oak tree cascading over them. A shiny ring that sits on Rich's right middle finger catches his eye as it shines in the sun. It's a gold band with a light blue gem placed in the middle. It looks expensive, unlike anything else Richie is wearing, or has ever worn.

"Where'd you get that ring?" Eddie asks in the midst of their silence.

_He's gonna think I'm a creep_

"Oh, I just found it lying around the house, so I took it. Isn't it pretty?" Richie answers, holding up his middle finger with a grin on is face.

Eddie rolls his eyes and bites back a laugh. "Don't you think it might be someone else's? Your dad's or your mom's?" He wonders.

Eddie looks at Richie's eyes as he says those words, he doesn't notice because he's seemingly focused on something behind Eddie's head. They go dull, the light vanishing for a few seconds, and returning when he meets Eddie's eyes. He raises his eyebrows and tugs a smug smile onto his lips. Eddie is left confused, wondering _"what the hell was that?"_. 

"Well, then it can be our little secret, that I'm a _thief_. Pinky promise not to say anything?" Richie says jokingly as he holds his pinky out.

Eddie looks down at his finger, and extends his own out to wrap it around his. He looks up at him once they touch, his cheeks inevitably heating up when he sees the soft look on Richie's face. He seemingly moved forward, his face is inches from Eddie's, and the smaller boy can feel his breath fanning over his face. His heart flutters.

"Pinky promise," He starts. "But only if you give me a ride home every day. I hate having to ride my bike both ways."

It was really just an excuse to be around Richie more.

"Deal. I'll be like your chauffeur, paid by a promise." Rich laughs.

"You're so lame." He unwraps his finger from Richie's and sits back against the tree, pressing his knees up against his chest.

"Oh you love me, Kaspbrak." Rich retorts, his cigarette muffling his words slightly. Eddie isn't looking at him, but he can hear the smile in his voice. His blush deepens at the words.

"Shut up, Tozier." He says as he ducks his head down, his hair touching his knees. The two can hear the faint shrill of the bell, signaling the end of lunch. Richie sighs as he pushes himself up off of the ground. He flicks his cigarette to the ground and stomps it out. Eddie grabs his bag from beside him, extends his leg out, and tucks a small piece of hair behind his ear. When he looks up, he sees Richie, with a warm smile on his face, offering him a hand. Eddie accepts it.

When Richie helps pull him up, his knees almost go weak and put him back into his spot on the ground. When he steps back from him, he almost trips over his own feet, and Eddie has to fight to hold back his laughter.

_Why am I falling so hard for this idiot?_

"I see you tryin' not to laugh, I'll knock the daylights outta ya!" Richie jokes, impersonating an old man. Eddie just laughs and pushes his shoulder lightly, causing Richie to shoot him a bashful grin.

The two walk back to the building together, Richie hums the tune of a song Eddie doesn't know, both of them swing their arms between them. They walk close to each other, and it puts Eddie on edge. He prays that he doesn't bump his hand on accident, because that would cause his sensitive self to get all flustered.

As they reach the building, Richie trails in front of Eddie. He spins around and starts walking backwards, smiling at Eddie like a goof. Eddie giggles to himself at the dopey look on the boy's face.

"Turn around and walk normally, Chee. You're gonna trip like you did back there. But this time, you'll actually fall." He says, his voice raised so Richie can hear him from where he stands.

"Fine, fine. I just wanted to see your face for a bit longer, sue me!" Richie yells back. Eddie's breath catches in his throat hearing the words. "Catch ya later Eds, front of school, don't forget it!" With that, he disappears into the building.

"How could I?" Eddie asks himself as he kicks the leaves beneath his feet.

—

The last bell rings, and Eddie's heart-rate picks up. He can't wait to meet Richie outside, even if his palms are sweaty because he's so nervous. Rich always makes him feel that way, so he's more used to it now.

He rushes out of the classroom eagerly. As he's walking towards the front of the school, he spots Mike and starts walking up to his side. He taps his shoulder and he whips his head around, greeting Eddie with a wide smile.

"Hey Ed, what are your plans tonight?" He asks. "Wanna come over?"

"Actually, uh, I have plans. Surprising right?" Eddie chuckles and pulls on his backpack straps.

"What are they?" Mike wraps an arm around his shoulders, walks with him in sync.

"I'm going to Richie's house," Mike's face lights up when he tells him this.

"Holy shit that's awesome, good luck. Tell me about it all tomorrow, alright?" He says enthusiastically as his arm slips off of Eddie's shoulder and rests on his bicep.

"Alright," He smiles. "I've gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow, Mike."

"Don't have too much fun!" Mike says as he shoots him a wink. Eddie rolls his eyes and turns towards the front doors.

His heart starts racing as Richie's truck comes into sight. He can see him leaning against it, waiting for him. His hands are in his jacket pockets, his legs crossed at the ankles.

_He looks so fucking good_

_How am I gonna survive this?_

Richie smiles as he sees Eddie emerge from the crowd of students who are loitering on the front steps. He pushes himself off of his truck as Eddie walks up to him timidly, swinging open his door with a cheesy grin.

"M'lady." He speaks as he bows. Eddie rolls his eyes and hoists himself into the bench seat. The whole truck rocks as he does so.

Richie slides into the drivers seat and puts his keys into the ignition. The car roars to life after a few turns of his keys, it's grumbling startling Eddie. After the obnoxious noise settles down, Richie sighs and buckles his seatbelt, Eddie following suit.

"How old is this hunk of junk?" He asks Richie. He laughs in response, a bright laugh. Eddie smiles.

_Damn you for being so beautiful_

"Hell if I know, my pap gave it to me last year," Richie glances over at Eddie with a smile on his lips. "The dinosaurs probably drove this thing."

"That makes no sense, Ri-"

"Imagine a T-rex trying to drive a car, holy shit," Richie laughs over Eddie. "Or one of those with the long necks!"

"A brachiosaurus?" Eddie questions.

"Yeah, that. It'd have to stick it's head out of the sunroof, or have a convertible." Richie sticks his hand out and forms it into a wave. "Ridin' in style."

"My god, you're weird, Tozier." Eddie laughs under his breath and Richie hears him. He thinks the rumbling of the truck's engine makes his words blend into the background, but Richie was listening intently.

He smiles to himself and blushes a little as he starts to drive away from the school.

"Vámanos!" He yells as he speeds away. Eddie clutches onto the door for support, telling Richie to slow down.

He breathes in the scent of the car. It smells how he expected it to, cigarettes mixed with black ice car-freshner. He's never been in Richie's car, since they're not very close. Eddie wants that to change. He wants Richie to feel the same, to want to be closer to him, but damn he's so hard to read. Even if it's in a totally unromantic, best friends way, he wants to be closer to Richie.

(Though he preferred for them to be more)

In the back of his head, Eddie knows that he wants to physically be closer to Richie, too. To feel his skin and his hot breath against his own, for Richie to envelop him. He brushes the thought away every time it blows in.

Eddie stares out of the windshield at the road, at the area they're driving towards. It's right on the cusp of the shitty part of Derry, where all of the abandoned buildings stand. Where you can look up at the sky at night and see the stars perfectly. The cold air from outside slips into the car as Richie rolls his window down.

"Hey, Eds, could you grab my pack out of my jacket? There should be a lighter in there too." He asks him casually. Eddie throws him a strange look, as if the request was the most bizarre thing he'd ever heard.

"Can you get it yourself?" Eddie retorts, half joking and half not. Richie chuckles lightly at this.

"I don't wanna put you in danger by taking my hands off of the wheel," He says. "If it was just me in here, I'd do that."

He keeps his eyes focused on the road, a small, smug smile on his face. Eddie's face flushes slightly. He scoots over across the seat in one motion, trying to do this all as fast as possible. He reaches over cautiously and slides his hand into Richie's jacket pocket, but doesn't find anything.

"Oh, it's in the one up here." He nods his head down towards his chest. Eddie's eyes widen slightly, he bites his lip lightly and reaches up. Richie doesn't move, or make much of a obvious reaction, but Eddie can see him smile to himself.

_What the hell?_

"The lighter's not in there Rich," Eddie stutters out.

"Aw shit, I think it's in my back pocket," His eyes widen again. "Could you get it if I, like, move a little?" There's a slight smugness in his voice.

_Oh fuck_

"Uhh.. yeah I guess," Eddie trails off as he reaches down toward Richie's back pocket. Richie leans forward and lifts himself up a bit so Eddie has better access to reach into his jeans. He snakes his hand into the tattered pocket and grabs the lighter, making sure to be gentle, but also trying to get it all over with. When he holds the lighter out, he catches Richie biting his lip and smiling. He looks over at Eddie as he pulls a neutral look onto his face.

"Here you go." Eddie speaks timidly. His heart is racing, and he knows exactly why. He wonders if Richie's is too.

"I just made you do all of that and you think I'm gonna get the cigarette out and light it?" He laughs in response.

"Fine." Eddie huffs in response. He grabs the pack from beside Richie and slides a cigarette out. He looks up at him as he parts his lips, ready for Eddie to slot it into them. He can't breathe because of the way Richie is glancing at him. His hands shake ever so slightly.

_So fucking beautiful_

He reaches up and tries to put the smoke in between his lips. Eddie's hands shake a tinge more when Richie leans over, causing the cigarette fall from his fingers and onto Richie's thigh. He sighs and snatches it back in his grip, trying to act normal. Richie's thigh twitches at the contact, and Eddie's stomach does a backflip. Richie bites down on the cigarette when Eddie positions it right this time.

_Why doesn't he just hold it in his lips?_

When Rich smiles at Eddie, his question is answered, almost like he could read his mind. He realizes something as he looks at the green lighter that's still in his grip. He doesn't even know how to use the damn thing.

"Um, I don't know how to light a cigarette.." He speaks through his teeth. Richie laughs lightly around the cancer stick (as Eddie likes to call them). He takes it out of his mouth quickly and rests it in between his fingers.

"See that circular thing on the top? Just, like, flick down on it with your thumb and hold that red thing down." Richie makes a motion with his hand to show Eddie what he means.

"Like.. this?" He makes an attempt and fails, which makes Richie giggle. Eddie rolls his eyes and tries a few more times. When he finally gets it, he squeals a little from the sudden presence of the flame.

"There you go, Eds! You got it faster than I did, you're a natural." Richie boasts as he holds his cigarette out to the flame.

"Can it, Rich." He laughs.

The rest of the drive is pretty mellow. Eddie ends up turning on the radio, annoying pop songs humming over the muffled speakers.

"This is the only fucking channel I can put on, annoying isn't it?" Richie chuckles.

"Well, I like this channel so I don't mind." Eddie holds his hands in his lap, trying to look assertive. It just makes Richie chuckle more.

"Then you'll love the rides home I'm giving you all year, Eds."

Eddie stares at him when he's not looking. He's always mesmerized by the way his eyes sparkle, how smooth his skin looks, how evenly his freckles are splashed across his cheeks. He could stare at him all day, as cheesy as it sounds. He's not what most would consider _perfect_. His teeth are kind of crooked, his hair is a bit messy at times, and he has random doodles on his hands. But to Eddie, he's a walking dream.

'That wouldn't be the only reason why I'd love them.' He wants to say.

"Don't get too excited." He chuckles, a smile playing on his lips.

His anxious thoughts from earlier subsided. Richie helped push them away, even if he was the cause of their existence in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed itttt <3

**Author's Note:**

> i would love love love feedback, whether it be constructive criticism or love, give it to meee :)
> 
> my twitter is @yellowtozier in case ya wanna check that outtt


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